Dancing Lessons
by EscapingAFairytale
Summary: The special moment from Chapter 8 of Deathly Hallows, The Wedding, when Ron and Hermione share their first dance from Hermione's point of view.


"Come and dance."

The words traveled from his lips and I clung to them. I couldn't believe my ears – dance? With Ron? It was the first time he had asked me to be _that _close to him, and I didn't even care that the invitation was a bit impolite and was a bit of an order, I just wanted to have a bit of fun.

I glanced at Viktor's face – surprised, I saw raised eyebrows and Harry was hiding an approving smirk.

I tried not to blush, but I think the heat had escaped already; I nodded, trying not to seem ecstatic, and together we emerged from the tables and walked, hand in hand, to the dance floor. The music, which was waltz-like, suddenly changed – I noticed it as being "This is the Night" by the Weird Sisters – a song back at the Yule Ball.

We settled in the middle of the dance floor – other couples were dancing as well, and I was blinded by twirling dresses of the different colors.

Ron cleared his throat. I laughed. "May I have this dance?" he said mockingly, bending down and throwing out his hand. It hit me squarely in the stomach and I gulped.

"Oh, God," Ron had only realized what happened. "Hermione – I – I – I was just – I'm – oh, god –"

"No," I said, straightening up, and then laughing. "No, it's – I'm fine, Ron, thanks," I grinned up at his pale, sweaty face.

"No, Hermione, I'm sorry – I'm just – nervous – yeah, nervous, that's all."

_Nervous_. Ron was nervous, around me? Of what? I don't dance very often, and if I do, I'm not that good…but that fact that he was nervous

"Erm, we should start now…"

I had only realized I dazed a bit. Ron was avoiding my eyes and as couples continuously bumped against us I realized that we were still on the dance floor. One of the veela cousins hit me in the back; she looked over her shoulder and threw me a grimace, muttering French before turning around and resuming her dance with her partner.

"We should start now," I said, smiling and tip-toeing. "All right, so…"

I put my right arm on his left shoulder, and he cuffed his large hand around my waist; it was awkward, I had never been _this _close to Ron Weasley.

I moved to my left and Ron followed, watching his feet very carefully. We moved to the left, then right, then twice left, then right, then another right. During the song's bridge, Ron twirled me around; when I looked down, I saw that my dress was in unidentified circles. Sweating, he pulled me back, and we were there, chest in chest. The veela cousin earlier mouth had dropped and a few dancers stopped and clapped for us.

I smiled shyly, and Ron looked away, trying to hide a grin. Then the music turned slower and I had put my arms around his neck and he had thrust his arms across my waist. Not caring now, I felt more confident. Then he spoke.

"Hermione, she shouldn't have done that."

I looked up sharply. "Who shouldn't have done what?"

"That veela girl. She – she shouldn't have, you know, done that to you."

"Oh. Well, you know, I'm a bit used to it."

"How?" said Ron, revolted.

"Remember, fourth year? I got all those hate mails…but anyway," I wanted to change the subject. "I never knew you could dance."

"Oh, I remember," said Ron. "When mum made me take dance lessons with Ginny when I was six – it was torture, I'm traumatized for life."

I laughed. "Well, you remembered it well. I'm having a great time. Like the ball."

Ron's smile had evaporated when I realize what I had just said. The Yule Ball. Fourth Year. Viktor Krum.

"Oh. Er, yeah." for a minute or two I thought he was going to abandon me in the middle of the dance floor. Then I realized Ron wasn't stupid.

"Having a better time with Vicky?" Ron mumbled, looking at his feet.

"Ron, I – I didn't mean it like that," I said softly. I took his hand from my waist and gripped it tight, holding it to my chest. "I'm having a great time. With _you_."

Ron looked back up, at his hand, then at me again. I couldn't believe what I had just done. But Ron smiled at me, then muttered, "Me too."

The song had stopped, and some couples had retreated, sweating horribly. I laughed silently.

"Well, that was nice, wasn't it? The song…the dance…" Ron trailed off.

"Right," I said.

We looked at each other and then let go quickly.

"Um – I'll go, er –go sit next to Harry."

"Yeah? you do that," said Ron.

"Yeah, I will."

"Um, yeah," Ron said awkwardly. "Shall I go get butterbeers, then?"

"Oh yes, please, Harry'll love that," I assured him.

"Right," said Ron, snapping his finger and then departing the dance floor. I watched him leave and disappear by squeezing into the couples.

I smiled and stayed on the dance floor for a while until another pretty blond girl brushed against my shoulder. I turned on my heel, blushing brighter than Ron's hair, and found a table of Harry on it. Trying to keep a straight face, I left, waiting for three foaming butterbeers to return.


End file.
